What Keeps Us Together
by Lariren-Shadow
Summary: Zutara week prompts. Day 7: Seasons.
1. Serendipity

**A/N:** It's Zutara week! Yay! Let's see how this goes.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own.

* * *

Zuko strolled through the market place on Ember Island in relative anonymity. Relative in that there was an unwritten code on Ember Island: you knew who vacationed here and you knew their rank so everyone just ignored it when they could. He learned this as a child when Azula complained that no one was calling her "princess"; personally at the time he'd never given much thought to who called him what. Later he noticed. As Fire Lord, however, he did receive more honorifics than before.

Today, however, he just wanted to be Zuko. His current mission consisted of finding the where everyone was getting what looked like cups of cold tea that was actually good. Mostly he wanted to know what all the fuse was about (tea was tea, in his opinion, but maybe Uncle would like to know about it).

"I'm going to ask the cold tea girl out," he over heard a boy who couldn't be more than sixteen say.

"Why? She works here," his companion complained.

"Oh I don't want to date her. That's not what the girls who work here are for. They're here to entertain us while on vacation." Zuko had to bite his tongue. At one point he'd believed the same thing. However working in the teashop and having Upper Ring girls proposition him like that had changed his mind considerable. He made a mental note to not only warn the girl (it seemed a new enough thing that she might not know about this) and to speak with the governor of Ember Island (the best job to retire to).

He easily found the stall he was looking for a few minutes later just as a large group left. At the counter he took his time looking over the list of drinks (typical with a few that offered to have hippo-cow milk added) while whoever was worked busied herself in the back. He kept his head down as he heard her come out, not really wanting to startle her.

"I'll have the-"

"Zuko?" A voice he knew asked. He looked up into Katara's blue eyes and rethought his whole 'warn the girl working about the lecherous thoughts of teenage boys' plan.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I own this place," she told him proudly.

"Since when? And since when do you live in the Fire Nation?"

"Oh about a year now," she said sweetly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He huffed.

"Messenger hawks work both ways you know. I sent you dozens of letters before I moved here and I maybe got one or two one line replies. I figured I wasn't worth the might Fire Lord's time."

"Of course you are I was just-"

"Busy," she finished for him. "You always say that."

"It's the truth. You try rebuilding a country, surviving assassination attempts, and almost going to war and see if you have spare time."

"I was with Aang through most of that, who was, aside from the assassination attempts, doing the exact same thing and I still found time to write you."

"Not the same."

"Why because I'm not royalty?"

"Yes!" He shouted without meaning to.

She took a step back. "I see how it is, your highness. What would you like and are you all right with a simple working peasant like me touching your food?"

He glared at her. "Stop that."

"Why it's how you seem to think?" She accused.

He sighed. "You know it's not and you're just being annoying now."

She crossed her arms but her expression softened. "I know. It's just been a long day."

"Are boys propositioning you?"

"How did you know?"

He blushed and looked down. "Well, see, a lot of the people who vacation here think that, since you work here, you work here, if you get what I mean."

"THEY THINK I'M A PROSTITUTE!" She yelled. The people hurrying past looked at her.

"Keep your voice down and kind of. Payment is optional," he admitted.

"Did you, how could you, everyone here is a whore?" She sputtered.

"Not everyone, I'm sure. And no, never."

"But you've come here-"

"When I was a kid and with Mai."

"Oh, right, sorry," she said sheepishly.

They stared at each other for a moment before he cleared his throat. "If anyone does that again freeze them in place."

"Already did," she admitted. He smiled.

"So what's the best thing here?"

"The peach with a bit of hippocow milk seems to be selling really well. I like it well enough but I also like the straight iced tea."

"Whichever you think is best." He watched her study him for a moment and shifted under her gaze. No matter how hard Iroh tried Zuko still could only vaguely tell the difference between tea blends and had an even worse time picking a favorite.

He watched her work and hum a song he'd never heard before. Idly he thought red looked good on her. He wondered what others thought when she blew ice-cold air at the drink in her hands.

"Here," she said. "Green tea and lemons with a little sugar. My favorite." He took a sip and decided he liked it too.

"How did you come up with it?"

"Just playing around with things which was basically how I came up with the whole menu. Iroh tasted a lot of them first and helped me narrow things down."

"Why were you with my uncle anyway?"

"Oh, well, I was working for him for a little."

"Wait, why? Weren't you traveling with Aang?"

"Yes and then I wasn't, end of story."

"Oh so because I didn't write to you I don't-" thunder rumbled in the distance and the wind picked up making him stop. "A storm is coming."

"I can tell. I need to close up shop, why don't you head back to the beach house and I'll see you tomorrow maybe?"

"I could do that or I could help. Get things done quicker."

She looked him up and down and shrugged. "Fine, the door is around the back and if you break anything you're going to pay for it."

"You're still mad about that bowl."

"We had just enough for everyone and you broke it! Of course I was mad!"

"A week later we were at my beach house and you had all the dishes you wanted," he grumbled as he walked through the back door.

"Shut up and help washing."

"Yes Master Katara."

Together they quickly washed the dishes, stored all the supplies, wiped the counter, and set out measured out the tea needed for the first batch for the next day. Finally Katara pulled the chain to lower the awning to officially close up for the day.

"I guess I'll see you later then," Katara said after she locked the back door. The wind had picked up and she was trying to keep her hair out of her face. Zuko, without really meaning to, reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'll walk you home," he told her.

"You don't have to-"

"I want to and it's the nice thing to do."

"Fine." She led him down the street and out of the main square. They passed houses that slowly became smaller the farther they went. Lights appeared in the windows as the sky grew darker and fat raindrops began to fall. Katara's arms began to move in a circular motion and the rain stopped above their heads. They walked a little farther until they came to one of the few, new, apartment buildings on the island. Katara dropped her hands to fish out the key from her pocket drenching them in the process. She quickly opened the door with a "sorry." She quickly bent the water off of them, flicking it out the still open door.

"I guess I'll be going now," Zuko said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Stay, at least through the storm," she offered.

"Thanks." She began to climb the stairs. They reached the top and Zuko wondered if she purposely got an apartment on the top floor.

"It's not much," she murmured as she opened the door. She was right, he thought. There was a couch and a few feet back was a table with two chairs in a tiny kitchen. He saw two doors to what he assumed was her bedroom and the bathroom. Not much but he could see Katara here with the blue pillows on the red couch and the picture of everyone hanging above it. "Make yourself at home."

He plopped himself down on the couch and watched her scurry into the kitchen and begin busing herself in there. He watched her fuss and assemble everything she needed to make tea. He stood and walked over and placed his hand over hers to stop her.

"You don't need to do that."

"I have to do something and it's polite."

"Katara," he said softly.

"Don't Katara me. I'm trying to be nice, which is better than you. You don't kiss a girl two years ago and don't say anything; in fact we talked about just forgetting it, and then not write to her. Ever. I wrote you. I told you about my break up with Aang over a lot of things and I just wanted a friend to talk to and you ignored it while your uncle was much more understanding. I mean I wrote Suki too and it helped but you were like my best friend and weren't answering me and now you're here and I guess I shouldn't be surprised but you can't just keep disappearing and reappearing and thinking everything will be all right," she finished with a huff.

"I'm sorry, I know it's not enough, but I am."

"You're always apologizing, you know that?"

"It's mostly to you." He held out his arms and she enveloped him in a hug. "Would you like to go to dinner tomorrow night?" he asked into her hair.

"I've been waiting a long time for you to ask that."

* * *

**Reviews are awesome.**


	2. Momentous

**A/N:** Thank you **strapped to a comet** for betaing this! I'm pretty sure I'm super tired right now and snappy but she's the best. This is also pretty canon compatible minus I'm using fandom's name for Zuko's daughter: Honora.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own.

* * *

He's old and he knows it. He feels it in the way his bones ache on cold mornings and how he isn't as flexible as he was.

It's been two years since Aang died.

He waits for word from the Water Tribes, and Foggy Swap now that they know it's full of waterbenders, about the new Avatar but he knows he has years until they are certain. He wonders about the new Avatar and if he (or she) will be anything like Aang. He sometimes shares these worries with Katara.

* * *

He's going to visit her on the anniversary of Aang's death. Losing a loved one is something he is far too familiar with.

Air Temple Island is just as he remembered it. It's still strange to see so many skybison. Tenzin meets him at the dock and he notes Lin's absence. She's usually with him and he wonders why this time is different. One of the acolytes - a pretty young brunette - is following Tenzin as his shadow and now he realizes why Lin isn't there. He only hopes Tenzin can see for himself that this girl is in love with him.

Tenzin leads him to the family residence. It's strangely quiet and he doubts there's been a noise higher than a whisper since Aang's death.

Katara is waiting for him, cups of tea steaming on the table along with some food he doesn't really care for at the moment. She half smiles and he recognizes the forced emotion.

"It gets better," he says in greeting.

"That's what everyone says," she echoes.

"They're right - even if it doesn't feel like it," he assures her. She hands him his tea and takes her own; he notes that she blows ice on to hers. He looks at her, curious.

"I can't drink too many hot things anymore and this makes it just right." He nods because he's been having trouble with cold food as well.

"Are Kya or Bumi coming?"

She looks down at her lap and he knows they're too busy or too something to come. "Kya would like to, but the storms have been bad this year in the north. Bumi. . ." she pauses. "Bumi is on duty and he can't get out of it." Had he known, Zuko would have ordered the United Forces to allow Bumi to leave. He laughs in his head - he can't command the United Forces to do anything, no matter what he thinks.

"I was able to make the journey," he tells her.

"I know, thank you." They sit quietly and listen to the chirps and purrs of the lemurs outside the window.

"I'm going to move to the South Pole come summer," she declares.

"Why?" He hates the cold and hates it more in his old age. Surely she hates it too, even if it is her element.

"It is my home." I want to die there she means.

"This has been your home for longer," he tells her, because she's one of the few friends he's ever had and the one of the few left. He hates how selfish this makes him sound.

"It was Aang's and now it's Tenzin's. It belongs to the Air Nomads and I feel like an outsider."

He sighs. "I understand."

"Do you truly? You're the Fire Lord still."

"Yes, but everyone is so young now and there are times where I feel useless. Honora takes lead on everything - as she should - and I just sit there, in the shadows. We both know we're waiting for me to die and we both aren't willing to accept it."

"She's as stubborn as you are."

"I know, but she has her mother's level head. She'll be a better Fire Lord than I."

"She'll be a different Fire Lord than you are because you're passing a relatively peaceful country to your daughter," she takes a sip of her tea. "Has there ever been a female Fire Lord?"

"Are we including Azula?" He asks sarcastically.

She glares at him and he can see the fiery teenager who threatened his life in his old friend's eyes. "No, she doesn't count."

"Then there has never been a female Fire Lord. Honora will be the first."

"You act like you're going to be there when she's crowned."

A thought occurs to him. "But what if I am?" He asks.

"What do you mean 'what if you are?' Zuko, you know as well as I do - that's not how it works."

"It could, though. After I became Fire Lord my councilors pushed me to get married because I had no heir."

"You always had Iroh," she chides.

"No, I didn't. . ." He realizes, and suddenly the thought has his mind racing with the possibilities. How had he not thought of this before? This feeling, this excitement of what he's discovered - it's terrifying and exhilarating like redirecting lightning. "Iroh abdicated," he declares, "he gave up his claim to the throne."

He watches Katara's eyes go wide. "You can't really be considering-"

"I wasn't until now. Honora is going to face opposition, especially because she has three younger brothers."

"The Fire Nation has always seen women as equals."

"Do you know how hard it was to get more than one female general appointed? I had to argue with everyone. We have women in our army, we let them fight - but having them command is another matter entirely. My sister had Ozai's approval and her own magnetism. Everyone followed her, like months to a flame. They had no other choice. I just want Honora to have a fighting chance."

"She's your daughter, she'll order them to follow her. She's too old for you to be watching over her."

"I'm sure Tenzin tells you that every day." He's pleased to see her cheeks turn pink. "I'm letting her go, I promise, I just want her to be able to ask me questions and have me there if she needs me." He watches her eyes soften and he's certain she understands.

"You had no one when you took the throne," she tells him.

"I had plenty of people, I just choose to follow the wrong advice," he amends.

"It took you over fifty years to admit you were wrong."

There she has him. He smiles. "You've never done it."

"You just weren't within hearing range when I did, old man."

He chuckles. "I'm going to be the first Fire Lord to abdicate."

"You're also the first Fire Lord who was ever banished."

"Thank you, I had almost forgot."

He takes a bite of sweet bun and begins to plan exactly how he'll do this. He'll have to talk with Honora and consult many others, no doubt. And afterwards - he will have to have a plan once he sees his daughter crowned. He doesn't have a tea shop to fall back on.

"Will you help?" He asks.

"Help with what?"

"This momentous occasion. I'll need a friend there." She smiles, a real smile and he hopes he's given her something to look forward to.

"I'd love to help. You'll need an inspirational speech." He will and she's the best writer he could ask for.


	3. Transcend

**A/N**: I have nothing to add.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own.

* * *

"What's it like to bloodbend?" Katara wasn't sure how to answer that question. It was horrible and powerful and one of the worst things she'd ever done. However there were times she thought of what good could come from it but it was never enough to out weighted the benefits.

"Why do you care, Zuko?" She asked. They were all gathered at Ember Island for their (forced in some cases) yearly get together. Aang and Sokka had dragged Toph with them to go food shopping, leaving Zuko and Katara to clean up the mess from breakfast and the night before (everyone (minus Zuko) insisted that they had looked after themselves before so they didn't need any help).

He focused on the dishes in front of him. "Maybe it's like lightning."

She stiffened, her voice hard. "I highly doubt that. Why don't you ask your uncle or ask Toph what metalbending is like?"

"Uncle hasn't been able to teach me and I did but I don't think I'll be able to 'feel the fire in the lightning' as she put it."

"You've felt lightning before," she gestured to his chest where she knew he still had a scar.

"I know but it's not the same, I've never really controlled it. There has to be more than just feeling the difference."

"That's the best I can come up-"

"Come on Katara just tell me what it's like!" He shouted.

She slammed the dish she was washing down so that water splashed everywhere and she was sure she broke it. "Fine, you want to know what it's like to bloodbend? It's feeling every single beat of your heart in the palm of your hand except it's not yours. It's someone else's. It's knowing that with a flick of a finger I can make you bow or throw you across the room or take all the blood from inside you. It's absolute power and enthralling." She felt slightly smug at the stunned look on his face.

"That's-" he began.

"That's why I try to never use bloodbending. Who am I to decide if someone should live or die?" She can't help remembering how he let her decide if she wanted to kill Yon Rha. She wondered if he would do the same thing now, knowing what he does.

"Can you at least feel the water in it?" He asked.

"I," she isn't sure how to answer him. _Yes_ is obvious but the blood feels different. It needs other movements for her to control it. It's..."It's almost like there's enough water in it for me to know that I can move it but enough of a difference to know that I can't do it all the time."

His hand went to his lip and he rubbed it while thinking. "Can you feel the water inside you?"

"Huh?"

"With firebending I can always feel the fire inside me. It's like I'm channeling it through me. I guess I never really thought of how it would feel to be a waterbender."

She hadn't thought about it either. She'd been bending, well, since she could remember. The water hadn't always done what she wanted but she did know it followed her and she could feel it. Just not inside her. Bloodbending made her feel it inside other people though.

"I knew all bending is different but I never thought it was that different."

"It's weird to think that you and Toph need to be near your element to bend it."

They continued to wash the dishes and she thought about what he said. Maybe what she knew about bloodbending about help. Nothing with needing the moon, obviously, but maybe about control.

"When was the last time you tried bending lightning?" She asked.

"Uh, a few weeks ago, I guess. Why?"

"When you were trying to finish up things so you could come here?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Why not try it now. Maybe you need to be more relaxed than you have been any of the other times you've tried."

He sighed. "It can't hurt. But not inside, obviously."

She followed him out into the courtyard. "Stand back, you know what this is like." She took a step back and watched. He looked so focused, going through the motions she'd only seen Azula do before. At first she could tell he wasn't trying to bend then his posture stiffened and she could tell he was trying. It looked like-

Boom! Something blew up in his face.

"This is never going to work!" He complained.

"You're still thinking about it," she offered.

"What's that supposed to me?"

"When I bloodbent I just did it. I didn't think about it. From what I understand from Toph she metalbent by feeling the metal and just doing. No thinking. Stop thinking about lightning and just do."

He scowled at her. "That's the stupidest idea ever."

"And you're the king of good ideas. Just try it."

"Fine but when it doesn't work you're doing the dishes alone for the rest of the time we're here."

"Deal and when you do bend lightning you have to, um, something that I think of later."

He chuckled before going back into the center of the courtyard and standing up straight. She watched him move and she could tell he wasn't thinking this time. Then there was the spark and the electric crackling and lightning! He shot it off with a roar.

"I did it!" He ran up to her and hugged her, spinning her around. "Thank you Katara!"

She smiled and knew that his help with dishes would be thanks enough.

* * *

**Reviews are awesome.**


	4. Whimsical

**A/N**: The universe is against me this week and now I have not one, but TWO broken cars. Not to mention the first is pretty much done and it's 18 and I'm attached ok? Yes. So fluff.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own.

* * *

I had a feeling that Zuko was going to propose to me soon. Somehow our private talks had turned from not meaningless things per se but we began talking about the future and what it meant for us and how to get the Fire Nation to accept us. Dating seemed to be all right with everyone, it was the prospect of children from our union didn't particularly sit well with his council. I, however, didn't care. My family accepted us and that was all I needed (Gran Gran and Grandpa Pakku a little begrudgingly but they knew I was happy and that was all they cared about).

I never expected it to happen in public. I never expected it to happen so soon either. We had spent the at the Fire Nation Capitol's summer solstice festival walking around and trying to just be a normal couple on a normal date. A few times it seemed that way like when we were walking without really looking at any of the stalls, just commenting on how the booth workers were trying to get people to stop and take a look or when he insisted on getting us cold cream desert and letting me take a lick of his, which had fire flakes on it. I'm still not sure how the sweet is made but I like it (minus the fire flakes).

As the day wore on and evening fell I began to understand what it meant to be with the Fire Lord while he walked in public. Everyone acknowledged him with at least a slight tilt of the head; most with a full bow (I later learned the distinction was between who was noble and who was not). Food stalls offered us tastes of their delicacies while hinting at a possibility of gaining a position at the palace. One man, who claimed to be from Jang Hui out right asked when we were getting married and, having already seen how much I cared about the Fire Nation, he considered me a perfect candidate for Fire Lady.

Zuko lead me to one of the squares closest to the palace so we could have the best view of the fireworks. I moaned at still having a walk ahead of us and he teased me, saying I'd become soft living like royalty. "You're the one who could be soft," I poked him in the stomach to emphasize my point. It didn't help, my finger poked the abs I knew were there and the desire to run my fingers over them flared to life.

As if he knew what I was thinking he whispered in my ear "later, Sweetness," managing to send a shiver down my spine as he moved behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

After the first burst of color and boom that followed I became lost in the colors and spectacle of it all. In the first long lull between the show he bent his head to my left ear again. I could feel his warm breathe tickling me as he said, "marry me" before the next firework went off. I quickly turned to look at him, the colors lighting his face, especially on the ridges of his scar.

I couldn't speak. His arms moved from around my waist and between them was a new betrothal necklace: a blue stone on a red band. I wanted to laugh at the similarity of the moment to one that involved a tree and pirates. I knew, however, laughing probably wasn't the best reaction. I nodded yes; I didn't trust myself to speak at that moment.

"Really? Do you like the necklace? I could make another one. You don't have to put it on now," he stammered out. He had a silly grin on his face and I couldn't help but turn to full face him and kiss him.

I pulled away and wrapped my arms around his neck. "It's perfect, everything is perfect."

* * *

**Reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	5. Heartstrings

**A/N**: I didn't kill any cars today! Yay!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own.

* * *

They're lying in bed, his fingers idly playing with the ends of her hair. "You never wear the necklace I made you." He hates how accusatory he sounds.

Her hand immediately finds the pale blue stone and caresses it. He remembers the nights he did the same while thinking about how grand his homecoming would be with the Avatar in chains. How his father would finally love him.

He wonders if he's still seeking to be loved by someone who can't love him.

They've been married for two years now and when he sees her blue necklace a voice that sounds just like Ozai whispers in his mind of how she married him for his title, how she will never love him because he doesn't deserve it. There are days he believes it.

Those are the days they fight. The days where he just wants to set her on fire even though he can still feel the pain of burnt flesh.

"I," she pauses and looks away from him, still stroking the stone. "It's all I have left of my mother." It's all she has and he has a room full of his mother's things and portraits to look at. She has this and he selfishly wants her wear what he made her. She always wears her flame.

"I know," he whispers. He closes the gap between them, his nose brushing hers. "I know, I just," he can't think of the right words to say, the words that will tell her he loves her and poured a part of his soul into making that necklace and making it perfect for her.

She takes his hand in hers. She brings it up to her lips and gently kisses their entwined fingers before placing them over her heart. "You're in my heart just like I know I'm in yours. What I wear doesn't change that," she tells him.

He kisses her; she knows him well enough to always say the words he needs to hear.


	6. Faded

**A/N**: This is entirely a sequel to one of the fics I did for Zutara week last year, Secret. Those are over in my fic "One Week." Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and favorited!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own.

* * *

The pile of papers taunted Zuko. Of course he knew what they meant (the pile on the right was important, the pile to the left of that was moderately important, then ha what are you thinking, and finally when Agni appears before me this will happen). This didn't mean Katara knew what they meant or could find anything when looking through them. A shouting match between the two of them (with their son chiming in with his own cries) lead Zuko to this point. It wasn't his fault Katara couldn't find the paper she'd needed a few days ago. He told her which pile it was in (what are you thinking) and she should have been able to find it.

Now, looking himself and really _seeing_ he could tell where she'd had a problem. His piles were bleeding into each other and he could hardly tell where one began and the other ended. It was time to organize everything. He began with at least trying to distinguish the piles. Then he turned them over and looked over the oldest ones. Most of them he could throw away because there had been some kind of resolution or some important date had passed. Finally he had a pile of papers he could burn and it was time to tackle his drawers (he was pretty sure there was at least half a bag of fire gummies in them).

Opening the first draw he shuffled papers and uncovered a rather unexpected object. His stuffed turtleduck Quackers. He'd forgotten it was in here. He used to practice his speeches with the toy, perfecting everything and ranting to the toy. However when Katara came to live in the palace full time and married him he didn't need the toy anymore and shoved it in his desk. He remembered Katara fixing it for him at the Western Air Temple and he'd tried to maintain the toy himself since. The beak was a little more warn (he vaguely remembered chewing on it as a kid) but other than that the toy looked better than it had in years.

He picked the toy up and turned it over in his hand. He really wasn't going to use it anymore. He had Katara to bounce ideas off of, Katara to talk to, and Katara for, well, everything. He didn't need it anymore but his son did. The baby had some toys but had yet to pick a favorite. If it happened to be Quackers that just made things easier.

Neglecting the rest of his desk Zuko left, turtleduck in hand, to go to the nursery where his son should be waking up from his afternoon nap. The boy was beginning to fall into a routine schedule (something both he and Katara loved because it meant the baby was beginning to sleep through the night as well).

When he entered the nursery Zuko waved away the nanny before heading over to the crib. The baby was just waking up; his gold eyes so much like Zuko's that Katara sometimes complained their son would look nothing like her when he was older. Zuko always laughed and said he had her nose. She never believed him.

"Hi little man, have a good nap?" He asked as he reached down to pick up the baby. The baby cooed in response and rubbed his eyes as Zuko adjusted his grip. "I know waking up is hard sometimes but I brought you a present."

Zuko held the turtleduck in his free hand close to the baby. His son grabbed it and Zuko laughed at the force. Immediately the turtleduck's beak went into the baby's mouth. "I used to do that too because this was mine. Now it's yours." Zuko smiled as the baby continued to gum the toy. "He's a prince, just like you," Zuko playfully tapped his son's nose. The baby stopped sucking on the turtleduck and held it, looking up at his father with wide eyes. "I kept Quackers safe from a lot of things, just like I'm going to try with you. Mommy even fixed him up once, just like she's going to be there to heal all of your hurts. And if anyone does try to hurt you just know Mommy and Daddy are awesome benders and we will make whoever it is pay."

"Don't promise our son bloodshed," he turned to see Katara leaning against the doorway.

"It's the truth," he said.

"That's not the point." She walked over to Zuko, standing next to him and wrapping an arm around his waist. "I can't believe you still have that old thing."

"It's been my friend forever and I had a very nice girl fix it for me." He kissed her cheek as the baby once again put the beak in his mouth. "Maybe he'll find someone like that too."

"Isn't it a little early to start planning his wedding?" She teased.

"It is and I know you should be the one planning it-ow," she pinched him in the side for his remark. "You know, when you fixed Quackers," she giggled at the name and he glared at her.

"Sorry I know his name is very serious," she teased.

"Anyway when you did that it was the first time I had any hope that you didn't hate me."

"I still hated you then but, well, all I could think of was you as a kid snuggling with that thing and I had to fix it."

He gently kissed her lips. "I'm glad you did, Quackers always gave me hope."

"You don't need him anymore?" She asked.

"No, I have you," he told her before kissing her again.


	7. Seasons

**A/N: **This is completely different than what I normally do. So here's a college AU. Happy Zutara week everyone! Makorra week starts tomorrow!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own.

* * *

**Fall**

Zuko couldn't believe Sokka had manipulated him into being an orientation leader. Just because Azula and this mysterious sister of Sokka's were freshmen this year didn't mean he had to care. Spirits he pitied the guy who tried to hit on his sister without her consent. Sokka, however, thought little Katara (Sokka's words, not his) needed to be protected from vicious sex crazed guys. Never mind Sokka had been one of those when they were freshmen until he started dating Suki but, then again, Sokka might have a little bit of a double standard for his sister.

Now he was in front of one of the all-bending groups waiting till they all shut up or at least put their cell phones in their pockets to listen. He was sure the girl in the back who couldn't look away from her phone was Sokka's sister. Finally he got the majority of eyes on him and began. "Welcome to Ba Sing Se University. I could go on about how this will be your home for the next four years and think of all the wonderful memories that you're going to have but I'm not," he paused, really he wasn't the peppy type. "What you really want to know is this: bending isn't allowed in the door rooms per se but you can get away with it as long as there isn't any visible water or fire damage or things are still intact-"

"Sorry I'm late, my dad wouldn't let me go till he'd given me an in-depth demonstration on how to use pepper spray," the girl with the prettiest blue eyes Zuko had ever seen said as she took her place in front of him. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"That's fine and your name is..."

"Katara." Well fuck.

* * *

Zuko managed to avoid Katara since orientation. Currently he was waiting for someone, anyone, to show up for tutoring. He knew about half the economics class he was assigned to were failing and should be coming but, well, that would imply they cared. Usually the week before midterms and the week before finals he'd be in high demand but this was just after the first test, the students still didn't care.

"Uh, hi, you're Zuko right?" And there she was. Katara clutched her textbook tightly to her chest and she looked close to tears.

"Yeah, well, I...I...I need help ok? I've never needed help before and this is just stupid and I can't fail my scholarship depends on it and I miss home." Tears were really coming out of her eyes now and Zuko wasn't really sure how to react. His sister never cried and he was never good in these situations. He stood and awkwardly hugged her.

"It's, uh, it's going to be ok. I can help you with this and then," she just started crying harder. He sighed and began patting her back. "Ok, how about we get some food or something and maybe after we can go over this ok?"

She whipped her eyes. "Can it be ice cream?"

"Sure, we can get ice cream. I just need to tell my boss I'm leaving early and we'll go."

Later he reasoned that he took her out as a big brother. Sokka obviously wasn't helping her so Zuko had to step in. That was what it was. All it was. She came every week to tutoring and began to bring him ice cream till it got too cold. Then she brought cookies. It wasn't anything. Nothing even when they started eating lunch together and hanging out.

* * *

**Winter**

She ran up to their usual spot in the tutoring center and flung herself on him. He wasn't sure how to react (besides gasping for breath because she knocked the wind out of him). "I did it! I got an A- and it's all thanks to you!" She was hugging him now and he was trying very hard to not notice how good she smelled and how great she felt pressed against him.

"We should celebrate!" She said excitedly leaning back a little.

"Uh, sure. What do you have in mind?" Sokka's sister, Sokka's sister, Sokka's sister, he kept repeating in his head.

"I don't really know. I'm kind of busy for the rest of the semester," she stood and put her hand to her mouth in concentration. "You're friends with my brother right?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't you come over for our Christmas party? I mean, if you're in the area. It's family and friends and my Gran Gran makes really good sea prunes and spice cake and you'll love it, I promise."

That's how Zuko ended up knocking on his best friend's door and being slightly hurt that he'd never been invited properly before (never mind that he was staying with his uncle this break and not at home). Katara opened the door and smiled brightly and all of his insecurities evaporated. She looked amazing in her blue dress that hugged every curve in the best way. "I'm so glad you could make it! Come on, let me introduce you to everyone!"

After being lead around the room and forgetting half the names after he was told Zuko took refuge in a corner with Sokka. "Hey, thanks for helping Katara out this semester," Sokka said as he handed Zuko a cup of spiced cider.

"No problem. She understood everything, she just needed to go over it a few times."

"I get that. She was so worried she'd lose her scholarship but thanks to you she isn't going to and you kept her busy enough so she didn't do anything with creepy boys."

"Right, no creepy boys." Never mind that he'd been with her every night and that maybe, a small part of him was considering her a possible girlfriend.

Later he found himself and Katara under the mistletoe, away from the others and they stood there, awkwardly for a moment before Katara reached up and kissed him lightly.

He was definitely screwed because he wanted to keep kissing her.

* * *

"Did you just ask me out on a date?" Katara asked incredulously.

"Not if this is how you're going to act!" Zuko yelled.

"Calm down! Jeez Zuko I thought that was what we were doing."

"You what?"

"Well we've been hanging out and those times we went to dinner I just thought...I don't know that you were waiting for the right time to kiss me and then we did at Christmas and I guess I was just imagining things-"

"You do realize I'm asking you out now, right?"

"Yes but-"

"No. Do you want to go to dinner with me or not?"

She smiled and blushed slightly. "You know I do," she said softly.

* * *

**Spring**

Katara had slowly moved into Zuko's single room with him. It started with a clean shirt here and there (for when they stayed up late watching a movie and then fell asleep together) then moved on to pants and toiletries and finally she had a whole two drawers to herself.

They'd also been moving forward physically and Zuko had yet to tell Sokka he was dating Katara. He'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

Tonight was turning out like normal. Watch a movie turning into making out and she'd stay over and everything would be great till he woke up in the morning hard and trying to hide that fact from her.

Something changed though. They were both shirtless and Katara's hands were getting bolder, brushing over his zipper more and more often. "Katara," he moaned as she climbed onto his lap and began rubbing against him. "Katara," he groaned as her kisses moved to right behind his ear. "We should stop."

She leaned back a little. "Why?"

"Because if we don't then we're going to you know," he was not blushing.

"Have sex you mean?" Bold as ever.

"That, yes, and I'm not sure if you're ready-"

"Zuko I'm horny and in your bed. I think I'm ready."

His eyes lit up. "Really? Great! I mean not that I expect sex from you but-"

"Stop talking and get me naked," she told him.

"Yes Katara. Hold on." He rolled moved to get up and she pinned him back down. "Uh if we're going to have sex I'm going to need a condom."

"No you won't."

"I'm not getting you pregnant!"

"I'm on the pill."

That was news to him. "You are?"

She sat up and her hands went to her hips (it was rather distracting because she just pushed her breasts out). "What do you think I take at lunch every day? I want to feel everything my first time. Unless you need to use it."

"I don't have any diseases if that's what you're asking."

"Good so let's get back to this," she gestured to the bed they were on.

He tried to make it good. He made sure to make her feel good but there were things he couldn't save her from. It was slightly quick and Katara seemed to think about it a little afterwards but he whispered how amazing she was and how much she meant to him.

He knew he'd done something right when she woke him up a few hours later asking for more.

* * *

"When were you going to tell me you're sleeping with my BABY SISTER?" Sokka screamed as he found Zuko's study spot in the library.

"After you got back from a good date with Suki," Zuko replied.

"Too late now, buddy. I had to find out by going by her room and her _roommate_ telling me she was sleeping in her boyfriend's room. You didn't even tell me you two were dating!"

"And have you say we can't? Sokka I really like Katara and she's great and funny and caring and I don't want you to ruin this for me!"

Sokka looked his friend up and down. "You know, I'm a little confused as to what to do here. You clearly found a girl who's good for you, the best in my opinion, but she's also my sister so therefore I need to kill you."

Zuko gulped. "Or you could take the third option and tell me if I ever break her heart you'll burn my right eye."

Sokka stroked his chin. "That is a good plan. I'll also beat you to a pulp." Zuko nodded. "Good, I'm glad we had this talk. Also if you get her pregnant you're going to marry her and treat her like a queen."

* * *

**Summer**

He took her to his family's beach house for a week. He loved watching her bend in the ocean. She was currently laughing and trying to create a wave large enough to get drench him. Zuko took the opportunity to run to her, grab her around the waist and spin her around. It would have worked well if he didn't lose his footing and send them both falling into the shallows while laughing.

As they tried to get up Zuko reached over and kissed Katara. She deepened the kiss until they were both breathless. "I love you," Zuko whispered.

Katara smiled. "I love you too. I've loved you for a long time and just been waiting for you to say it."

* * *

**Reviews are awesome.**


End file.
